Curly hair types, listen up. In order to keep your curls looking top-notch, using the right hair care is key. Whether you're using a hair mask to hydrate and remove buildup from your porous strands, a heat protectant to stay moisturized and frizz-free, or a curl-defining cream to keep every curl as bouncy as can be, your beauty cabinet will likely be just a little bit fuller than those with straight, fine hair. Although your hair needs a little more love, all that extra work comes with major rewards.
Below are 10 of the best products for curly hair–eight of which have already been vetted by Ipsters who received these products in past Glam Bags.
1. BRIOGEO HAIR CARE Curl Charisma™ Rice Amino + Quinoa Frizz Control Gel
Apply this clean, plant-based gel to damp hair to officially make frizz a thing of the past. This formula uses rice amino acids to lockout frizz-inducing moisture, quinoa extract to nourish and enhance texture, and protein-rich keratin to strengthen the hair and protect it against breakage. After working through the hair, use a diffuser to create more precise curls or let the hair air dry for a more tousled texture.
"This is really nice for curly hair," writes one Ipster. "You can also use it as edge control to lay those baby hairs."
2. MARC ANTHONY Strictly Curls Miracle Treatment
Here's another frizz-fighting curl enhancer with a slightly thicker texture. Use this balm to keep coils defined and bouncy. Ultra-moisturizing ingredients like shea butter and argan oil keep your curl pattern looking and feeling extra fresh.
"This is a must-have product," says Ipster Naihla. "It made my curls pop up. Plus, no harsh dryness or frizziness. Perfect throughout the whole day after applying it on."
3. TWISTED SISTA Curl Activator Creme
Send your natural curls into super bounce mode with this deeply moisturizing cream that blends together coconut, almond, and avocado oils–a nutrient-rich, emollient trio high in fatty acids and B vitamins. It's a great solution for those with coily hair textures or anyone looking to add more volume and definition to their luscious locks.
After dying her curls platinum blonde, one Ipster says, "This cream helped my curls gain and hold its shape again."
4. MARC ANTHONY 100% Extra Virgin Coconut Oil & Shea Butter Hydrating Curl Cream
Hydrating power duo coconut oil and shea butter team up in this curly hair product to keep curls looking super shiny and extra bouncy. Coconut oil nourishes scalp health, which can help hair grow faster, while shea butter infuses strands with vitamins A and E, keeping them both shiny and strong. Scrunch into damp hair to help detangle, maximize curl definition, and stay frizz-free.
"I loved this cream," one Ipster writes. "My hair sucked it up and was so soft and happy! And it smelled amazing."
5. CAKE BEAUTY The Curl Friend Defining Curl Cream
Sometimes you just don't have time for a multi-step hair care routine. On those days, use this multitasking, 2-in-1 formula that acts as a hair treatment and a styling product at the same time. This formula uses avocado and soybean oils to keep your hair strong and healthy while shea butter adds shine and helps to ensure a frizz-free finish.
"This smells SO good and is super easy to work with," writes Ipster hanlynne_s. "It definitely helps control frizz and define my curls a bit more."
6. TRISSOLA Chia 5-in-1 Defining Curl Cream
If a 2-in-1 product isn't quite impressive enough for you, how about stepping it up to a 5-in-1? This miracle cream strengthens, adds shine, fights frizz, conditions curls, and maximizes bounce. The hero ingredient here is chia seed oil, a natural ingredient rich in antioxidants, protein, and nourishing vitamins.
"I love this stuff," writes Ipster rdanielle48. "My curls can get really frizzy and crazy and this makes them tame and so soft."
7. CURL KEEPER® Leave-In Conditioner 1oz
When it comes to keeping curls looking sharp, moisture is always priority number one. An easy way to keep the hair hydration coming is to apply leave-in condition after you get out of the shower. This silicone-free option is made specifically for curly hair types to keep hair soft and smooth but never weighed down.
"I have wavy/curly hair and this worked great," says Ipster stolte_girl. "It wasn't heavy like a lot of leave-in conditioners I find. It also kept my curls defined with no frizz and didn't leave my hair feeling greasy."
8. QHEMET BIOLOGICS Amla & Olive Heavy Cream
This citrus-scented hair cream includes a laundry list of amazing ingredients for your curls. Olive and castor oil nourish the hair, keep it soft and shiny meanwhile Afro-Indian botanicals like amla, brahmi, and aloe give curls strength. This is a heavier cream, so it's best for course, tightly coiled hair types.
"The best hair moisturizer I've ever come across and that says a lot coming from a girl with 4c texture hair," writes Ipster makeda250.
9. EVA NYC Rock-A-Wave Curl Cream
Ditch the products with sulfates, parabens, phthalates, mineral oil, and gluten and instead infuse hair with nourishing argan oil and EVA's Keravis protein complex, which is scientifically proven to dramatically increase strength and flexibility in hair. This lightweight cream will leave your hair bouncy, touchable, and super smooth.
10. BUMBLE AND BUMBLE Curl Anti-Humidity Gel-Oil
High humidity is one surefire way to make curly girls' hair go huge. If that's not the look you're going for, give this innovative BUMBLE AND BUMBLE product a try. This hybrid product combines the hold of a flexible hair gel with the hydration of an oil, helping to maintain the delicate balance between hydration and well-defined curls.
This gel-oil is somewhat thick, so it's best for curl types that can handle something a little bit heavier. If your curls fall somewhere between ringlets and corkcrew curls, this could be great for you.
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